Arch-Fiend
Explorer
Negative energy is that energy which fuels undead in a way that positive energy fuels the living. So to question where negative energy fits into the D&D chrono-cosmology we must also determine where positive energy fits. Seemingly positive energy is more understandable, its energy that fuels living things, living things live because of positive energy, however the relationship between these 2 energies and everything else in the D&D multiverse raises a myriad of questions, those questions and observations lead to a greater question, where and how do these 2 energies fit into the story of the multiverse that is D&D?
Now i understand that there are multiple settings to dungeons and dragons, and some of these questions don't apply to all, but they do tend to apply to all of D&D based on the working setting that was pushed as the main setting for each edition of the game, but only in combination, obviously 4e was different than 3e and AD&D, 5e is using forgotten realms as the base setting of the game (i think). So these questions don't apply to every setting, but some definitely do, thus i think they serve all together as the foundation for answering where the idea of negative energy fits into the the bigger narrative of these settings.
So now for the specific questions and observations
Negative and positive energy are inner planes, essentially elemental planes and are the foundations for the quasi-elemental planes. however there are no elementals of positive or negative energy (in-canon that i know of) should there be? One could argue that undead and living are elementals of positive energy, or that undead and positive energy undead are elementals of positive energy, but undead are (usually) things that once were living changed in some way (massively in some cases) into undead, fueled by negative energy. This implies that if undead are the elementals of negative energy, it requires positive energy to create the undead. Others have argued that living isint an elemental of positive energy but instead that living is a balance of the energies and the philosophies, and when an energy becomes to dominant within a living thing, it dies (potentially becoming undead) or becomes an outsider
Negative and positive energy seem more closely represented by the gods than they do by elementals, clerics channel the 2 energies, additionally there are a myriad of gods that represent death and undeath, the powers they bestow and their representation is that of negative energy. If there's less representation of positive and negative energy by the elements why are these 2 planes inner planes? Is there representations of these 2 planes by primordials? If so, by whom and where do they fit into the bigger picture of negative energies place in D&D?
Why are elemental and outsiders effected by positive or negative energy? Are outsiders and petitioners representatives of the layer of the plane that is home to them and thus they are fueled by their plane? What is the deal with lower and upper outer planes having positive and negative energy traits if those are energies? If outsiders are fueled by their plane then why does positive or negative energy effect them? Why are elementals effected by either energy? elementals are made of the energy of the inner plane they are native to. Both outsiders and elementals are not duel natured, A similar but unrelated characteristic shared by constructs (which are fueled by a trapped elemental) and undead
What do beings from the far realm relate to positive or negative energy? Logically all aspects found within the multiverse are found randomly and unimaginably throughout the far realm due to its nature being the greater khaos that the multiverse is a part from. Some of the far realm stars from warlock pacts are associated with negative energy, acamar, hadar, and zhudun. Aberrations and far realm outsiders as far as i know can be turned into undead, but there is scant few examples of naturally occurring far realm undead or far realm beings of negative energy.
If negative energy fuels undead, and positive and negative energy cancel each other out, why do some undead gain hit-points from bestowing negative levels? What is actually happening in that exchange?
What is the difference between entropy and negative energy? The 2 concepts seem deeply intertwined with one another however i have heard arguments where the 2 are not related subjects besides where they overlap, entropy in a greater philosophical sense has the association with negative energy because negative energy destroys life, but focused entropy likewise destroys unlife as well, and the greater metaphysical entities of entropy simply aim for the end and the end alone.
Why is shadow so often associated with negative energy despite the plane of shadow not being the negative energy plane, even nightshades are natives of the plane of shadow instead of the negative energy plane. Devourers lurk in the ethereal and astral. incorporeal undead are often found in the ethereal, why is there so little native to the negative energy plane?
With all of this in mind, where does negative energy come from? Where did it enter into the chronology and why?
Now i understand that there are multiple settings to dungeons and dragons, and some of these questions don't apply to all, but they do tend to apply to all of D&D based on the working setting that was pushed as the main setting for each edition of the game, but only in combination, obviously 4e was different than 3e and AD&D, 5e is using forgotten realms as the base setting of the game (i think). So these questions don't apply to every setting, but some definitely do, thus i think they serve all together as the foundation for answering where the idea of negative energy fits into the the bigger narrative of these settings.
So now for the specific questions and observations
Negative and positive energy are inner planes, essentially elemental planes and are the foundations for the quasi-elemental planes. however there are no elementals of positive or negative energy (in-canon that i know of) should there be? One could argue that undead and living are elementals of positive energy, or that undead and positive energy undead are elementals of positive energy, but undead are (usually) things that once were living changed in some way (massively in some cases) into undead, fueled by negative energy. This implies that if undead are the elementals of negative energy, it requires positive energy to create the undead. Others have argued that living isint an elemental of positive energy but instead that living is a balance of the energies and the philosophies, and when an energy becomes to dominant within a living thing, it dies (potentially becoming undead) or becomes an outsider
Negative and positive energy seem more closely represented by the gods than they do by elementals, clerics channel the 2 energies, additionally there are a myriad of gods that represent death and undeath, the powers they bestow and their representation is that of negative energy. If there's less representation of positive and negative energy by the elements why are these 2 planes inner planes? Is there representations of these 2 planes by primordials? If so, by whom and where do they fit into the bigger picture of negative energies place in D&D?
Why are elemental and outsiders effected by positive or negative energy? Are outsiders and petitioners representatives of the layer of the plane that is home to them and thus they are fueled by their plane? What is the deal with lower and upper outer planes having positive and negative energy traits if those are energies? If outsiders are fueled by their plane then why does positive or negative energy effect them? Why are elementals effected by either energy? elementals are made of the energy of the inner plane they are native to. Both outsiders and elementals are not duel natured, A similar but unrelated characteristic shared by constructs (which are fueled by a trapped elemental) and undead
What do beings from the far realm relate to positive or negative energy? Logically all aspects found within the multiverse are found randomly and unimaginably throughout the far realm due to its nature being the greater khaos that the multiverse is a part from. Some of the far realm stars from warlock pacts are associated with negative energy, acamar, hadar, and zhudun. Aberrations and far realm outsiders as far as i know can be turned into undead, but there is scant few examples of naturally occurring far realm undead or far realm beings of negative energy.
If negative energy fuels undead, and positive and negative energy cancel each other out, why do some undead gain hit-points from bestowing negative levels? What is actually happening in that exchange?
What is the difference between entropy and negative energy? The 2 concepts seem deeply intertwined with one another however i have heard arguments where the 2 are not related subjects besides where they overlap, entropy in a greater philosophical sense has the association with negative energy because negative energy destroys life, but focused entropy likewise destroys unlife as well, and the greater metaphysical entities of entropy simply aim for the end and the end alone.
Why is shadow so often associated with negative energy despite the plane of shadow not being the negative energy plane, even nightshades are natives of the plane of shadow instead of the negative energy plane. Devourers lurk in the ethereal and astral. incorporeal undead are often found in the ethereal, why is there so little native to the negative energy plane?
With all of this in mind, where does negative energy come from? Where did it enter into the chronology and why?
